of the descendants of Shecaniah; from the descendants of Parosh, Zechariah, and with him were registered 150 men; Sermons
I. OVER THE KING AND HIS COURT (ver. 27). He puts it modestly, as becomes a devout man accustomed to refer everything to the Divine hand that governs everywhere, and says that God "extended mercy to him before the king and his counsellors, and all his mighty princes." Putting it into everyday language, we should say that he gained a commanding influence over the minds of these courtly men, and over this great sovereign. II. OVER THE CHIEFS AND THE MULTITUDE OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE (ver. 28). In the same modest and unassuming strain he speaks of being "strengthened as the hand of the Lord was upon him," and he "gathered out of Israel chief men" to avail themselves of the royal decree and go up with him to their own land. In other and more familiar words, he succeeded in winning the confidence and prevailing on the minds of the leading men of his own nation to such an extent that they were willing to forsake their homes and seek their fortune in Judaea. And not only the leaders, but also a large company of the "rank and file" among his compatriots responded to his call; there were "the people" as well as "the priests" (Ezra 8:15). III. OVER THE UNRESPONSIVE LEVITES (Ezra 8:16-20). When it was found that, for some reason, no Levites had joined the party of the exodus, Ezra picked out "men of understanding" (ver. 16), the right men for the task, and told them what to say, giving them the right message for the purpose (ver. 17), and he thus succeeded in attaching to their company many who had meant to stand aloof, thus completing the number that should go up to Jerusalem (vers. 18-20). Only a man of commanding influence, a man of firm conviction who knew well his own mind, and a man of persuasive force who could impress his will on others, could possibly have accomplished this. On the great and important subject of influence there are two truths we shall do well to learn - 1. That those who find themselves possessed of it bear a weighty responsibility. in many cases influence comes to a man unsought. (1) Wealth, or (2) rank, or (3) office, or (4) intellectual eminence, or (5) beauty and grace of person, or (6) an exceptionally strong will, or (7) a fascinating disposition, may confer influence on a man or woman, without any effort on their part to acquire it. It is a very great possession. A grave thing it is to be insensibly drawing many souls either along the path of virtue, holiness, and life, or along the path of sin, and shame, and death. unconscious influence is very far from being irresponsible for what it does. We are most solemnly bound to see to it that such is the spirit of our life, such the colour and complexion of our words and deeds, such the tendency of our conduct, that, without any direct endeavour to do so, we shall be influencing our fellows towards truth, wisdom, God, heaven. Those whom God has made markedly influential are specially bound to consider what they are doing. "They know not what they do" may be a palliation, but it is not a justification, when they might know by thinking. 2. That those who would cherish the highest aspiration should strive to win it. To win wealth or fame or office for the sake of these things themselves is a comparatively mean thing; it does not rise higher than a refined gratification. But to win influence with the view of leading human souls in the path of heavenly wisdom, this is a noble aspiration, worthy of a child of God, of a follower of Jesus Christ. It may be acquired as well as inherited. It is the outcome of excellency of character, of strenuousness of soul, of kindness of heart, of likeness to Jesus Christ. - C.
And weighed unto them the silver and the gold, and the vessels I. THE TREASURES TO BE GUARDED.1. Valuable in themselves. 2. Valuable as being consecrated to God. 3. Valuable as being the spontaneous gifts of friends and well wishers. II. THE GUARDIANS OF THE TREASURES. III. THE CHARGE TO THE GUARDIANS OF THE TREASURES. IV. THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE GUARDIANSHIP OF THE TREASURES. Conclusion — 1. Our subject speaks to ministers of the gospel (1 Corinthians 4:1, 2; Titus 1:7, 9; 1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 1:14). 2. To all who have charge of public funds or the property of others. 3. To all men (Matthew 25:14-30). (William Jones.) I. Consider: THE PRECIOUS TREASURE ENTRUSTED TO OUR KEEPING. 1. The treasure is first our own selves, with all that we are and may be under the humiliating and quickening influence of His grace and spirit. That which we carry with us — the infinite possibilities of these awful spirits of ours, the tremendous faculties which are given to every human soul, and which, like a candle plunged into oxygen, are meant to burn far more brightly under the stimulus of Christian faith and the possession of God's truth, are the rich deposit committed to our charge. The precious treasure of our own natures, our own hearts, our own understandings, wills, consciences, desires — keep these until they are weighed in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem. 2. The treasure is next — This great word of salvation, once delivered to the saints, and to be handed on without diminution or alteration to the generations that are to come. Possession involves responsibility always. The word of salvation is given to us. If we go tampering with it, by erroneous apprehension, by unfair usage, by failing to apply it to our own daily life, then it will fade and disappear from our grasp. It is given to us in order that we may keep it safe, and carry it high up across the desert as becomes the priests of the most high God. II. Next, THE COMMAND, THE GUARDIANSHIP THAT IS HERE SET FORTH. Watch ye and keep them. That is to say, Watch in order that ye may keep. This involves — 1. Unslumbering vigilance. 2. Lowly trust. 3. Punctilious purity.It was fitting that the priests should carry the things that belonged to the temple. No other hands but consecrated hands had a right to touch them. To none other guardianship but the guardianship of the possessors of a symbolic and ceremonial purity could the vessels of a symbolic and ceremonial worship be entrusted; and to none others but the possessors of real and spiritual holiness can the treasures of the true temple, of an inward and spiritual worship be entrusted, "Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord," said Isaiah long after. The only way to keep our treasure undiminished and untarnished, is to keep ourselves pure and clean. 4. Constant use of the treasure. Although the vessels borne through the desert by those priests were used for no service during the march, they weighed just the same when they got to the end as at the beginning. But if we do not use the vessels that are entrusted to our care they will not weigh the same. There never was an unused talent yet, but when it was taken out and put into the scales it was lighter than when it was committed to the keeping of the earth. Gifts that are used fructify. Capacities that are strained to the uttermost increase. Service strengthens the power of service; and just as the reward of work is more work, the way for making ourselves fit for bigger things is to do the things that are lying by us. The blacksmith's arm, the sailor's eye, the organs of any piece of handicraft, as we all know, are strengthened by exercise, and so it is in the higher region. III. THE WEIGHING IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD. Though it cannot be that we shall meet the trial and the weighing of that day without many a flaw and much loss, yet we may hope that by His precious help and His pitying acceptance we may lay ourselves down in peace at last, saying, "I have kept the faith," and may be awakened by the word "Well done, good and faithful servant." (A. Maclaren, D. D.) I. THE SETTING OUT FROM AHAVA. 1. From captivity to liberty. 2. From exile to their ancestral home. 3. From the land of idolatry to the scene of true worship. II. THE PROGRESS ON THE JOURNEY. III. THE ARRIVAL AT JERUSALEM. This was characterised by — 1. Grateful rest. 2. Joyful welcome. (William Jones.). People Adin, Adonikam, Ariel, Artaxerxes, Athaliah, Azgad, Bani, Bebai, Bigvai, Binnui, Daniel, David, Ebed, Elam, Eleazar, Eliezer, Elihoenai, Eliphelet, Elnathan, Gershom, Hakkatan, Hashabiah, Hattush, Iddo, Isaiah, Ithamar, Jahaziel, Jarib, Jehiel, Jeiel, Jeshaiah, Jeshua, Jeuel, Joab, Johanan, Joiarib, Jonathan, Josiphiah, Jozabad, Levi, Levites, Mahli, Merari, Meremoth, Meshullam, Michael, Nathan, Noadiah, Obadiah, Pahathmoab, Parosh, Pharosh, Phinehas, Shecaniah, Shechaniah, Shelomith, Shemaiah, Shephatiah, Sherebiah, Uriah, Urijah, Uthai, Zabbud, Zaccur, Zattu, Zebadiah, Zechariah, ZerahiahPlaces Ahava, Babylonia, Beyond the River, Casiphia, JerusalemTopics Descendants, Fifty, Genealogical, Genealogy, Hundred, List, Listed, Males, Parosh, Pharosh, Reckoned, Reckoning, Registered, Shecaniah, Shecani'ah, Shechaniah, Sons, Themselves, Zechariah, Zechari'ahOutline 1. The companions of Ezra, who returned from Babylon15. He sends to Iddo for ministers for the temple 21. He keeps a fast 24. He commits the treasures to the custody of the priests 31. From Ahava they come to Jerusalem 33. The treasure is weighed in the temple 36. The commission is delivered Dictionary of Bible Themes Ezra 7:28 1085 God, love of 1055 God, grace and mercy Library The Charge of the Pilgrim Priests'Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them ... at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the Lord.'--EZRA viii. 29. The little band of Jews, seventeen hundred in number, returning from Babylon, had just started on that long pilgrimage, and made a brief halt in order to get everything in order for their transit across the desert; when their leader Ezra, taking count of his men, discovers that amongst them there are none of the priests or Levites. He then takes measures to reinforce his little … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Heroic Faith Of the Public Fast. The Old Testament Canon from Its Beginning to Its Close. 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